Roller skate



March 28, 1950 Filed Dec. 26, 1947 E. M. JACK ROLLER SKATE 3Sheets-Sheet l JNVENTOR. EDWARD M. JACK ATTORNEY H March 28, 1950 E. M.JACK 2,502,153

ROLLER SKATE Filed Dec. 26, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR. EDWARDMJAcK AT ORNEY March 28, 1950 E. M. JACK ROLLER SKATE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3Filed Dec. 26, 1947 JNVENTOR. EDWARDMJACK (W ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 28,1950 ROLLER SKATE Edward M. Jack, Litchfield, Coma, assignor to UnionHardware Company, Torrington, Conn., a corporation of ConnecticutApplication December 26, 1947, Serial No. 793,808

- 8 Claims. 1

This invention relates particularly to skates of the four-wheel typecapable of automatic turning movements when the skater leans sidewise.The main object is to provide a very light but strong skate capable ofvarious adjustments to suit the wishes of the user for plain and fancy.skating.

Another object is to simplify the construction so that the skate can bemade of few parts.

Another object is to provide a construction which is economical tomanufacture and easy and simple to maintain.

Another object is to provide a construction in which the parts whichwear can be readily replaced.

Another object is to form the principal parts of material which isrustproof and clean in use.

Accordingly the foot or shoe plate and the bosses for the seats for thefront and rear wheel carriers are made of a single casting of a verylight metal such as an aluminum alloy integrally reinforced by adepending beam extending along the bottom of the plate. Each carrier issupported adjustably and pivotally near one end of the shoe plate andresiliently and adjustably at another point nearer the center.

The invention applies equally well to the clamp-on type skate and to thetype which is fixed to the shoe with an added improvement applicable tothe clamp-on type.

Fig. 1 is a side view and partial section showing a skate embodying oneform of the invention with the wheel carriers adjusted to one of theirupper positions.

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a carrier attached tothe front end of the skate and adjusted to a lower position.

Fig. 4 is a front view of the skate showing the shoe plate tilted indotted lines.

Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are transverse sectional views of the shoe plate. onthe planes of the line 5--5, 6-6 and 1-1, respectively, of Fig. 1.

. Fig. 8 is a side view of a shoe plate for a clamp-on type of skate.

Fig. 9 is a bottom plan view of the heel portion of the plate of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a bottom plan view of the toe portion of the plate of Fig. 8.

Fig. 11 is an exploded sectional view of the parts of one of the wheelcarriers.

Fig. 12 is a detail view of a bearing for the adjusting screw for theclamp of Figs. 8 and 10.

The foot or shoe plate I4 is shaped to the approximate form of the soleand heel of the shoe and has the integral longitudinal beam |5 extendingthe length of the plate. This is of V-shape in cross-section exceptwhere it is enlarged to form bosses I6, l1, l8 and Hi to receivesupporting elements for the carriers 20 and 2|. This beam is preferablyarched longitudinally between the bosses l1 and I8.

Each wheel carrier is preferably formed of a light metal such as analuminum alloy and, as usual, has a hub carrying a shaft such as 22 and23 with a pair of wheels or rollers 24, 24 and 25, 25, respectively.

Each carrier has an integral sleeve 26 projecting upwardly from its huband inclined outwardly toward one end of the skate. is interiorlyscrew-threaded to receive a screwthreaded adjusting member 2! which hasat its upper end a head 28 with a concave seat 29 for the end 3| of thestud 30. Stud 30 is secured in a seat 32 in boss l6 at the rear of theskate. A similar ball headed stud 33 is secured in a seat 34 at thefront end of the skate. This seat may go part way or all the way throughplate M. The end 3| is rounded to an approximate semi-spherical shapeand set close to the plate and the seat 29 is enough larger incross-section and of sufficient depth to allow for a considerablelateralv movement of the stud in the seat without dislodging the studfrom the seat when the shoe plate is tilted. A lock nut 35 on the member21 serves to hold it in position in the sleeve 26. The stud 30 may be ofsteel.

Each carrier also has an integral arm 3'! which projects inwardly fromits hub toward the center of the skate and is preferably inclineddownwardly. This arm has a passage 38 through which extends a bolt 39which is adjustably screwed into a screw-threaded seat 40 in the boss llof the shoe plate. A resilient buffer 4| is mounted on the stem of thebolt 39 and seated in a recess 42 in the arm 31. A washer 43 is alsoemployed to take up the wear due to the twisting of the arm on the bolthead. This washer is seated in a recess 44 in the arm and prevented fromturning for instance by one or more lugs 45. The bolt 39 is held in itsadjusted position in boss ll by a lock nut 46 and the rubber buffer 39will usually be headed by a protective cap 41. v

The front support for the shoe plate is effected in the same manner asthat just described. The carrier 2|, sleeve 26', screw member 21, nut35', stud 33, arm 31', bolt 39, seat 40 and buffer 4| This sleevecorresponding with the elements 20, 26, 21, 35, 30, 31, 39, 40 and 4|,respectively.

The weight of the body rests on the foot or shoe plate and isdistributed between the front and rear pairs of supports.

It will be seen that the axes of the seats 32 and 40 are shown asinclined downwardly from in rear and from in front of the roller axis,with an acute angle between them. This is preferable but not alwaysnecessary. The bolts 39, 39 are of course adjustably fixed to the shoeplate and turn with it as the plate is tilted from side to side.

As pressure is applied off-center to the longitudinal axis of the skate,greaterpressure is applied to one side of buffers 4|, 4"! than to theother shortening the length on the side under greater compression; this"exerting 'a torsional movement to the truck and turning sleeves 28, 26'and cup-like bearings on studs 39 and 33 so that axle shafts 2| and 22are no longer parallel but converge toward the side under the greaterpressure.

By tightening or loosening the bolts 39, 39', the buffers ilf llfl'maybe compressed or released so as to afford the desired resistance totwisting and turning movement. The screw-threaded seat members 27, 2'4may also be adjusted toa'fford the tight or loose bearing desired (inthe studs 30 and 33.

By adjusting the socket headed screws 2'! and 21' the positions of thewheel axes may be changed so as to vary the centerline spacing. Thisalso results in some change in the skateactien.

"The skates are designed exactly to place the carriers under the mostdesirable load points at heel and toe. v

The studs 30 and 33 are suitably seated in recesses 32 and 34 which maybe screw threaded. These recesses may extend through the plate id butnot necessarily.

The clamp-on type of skate has the same construction of shoe plate Mwith its integral depending arched beam I extending from end to end withthe bosses l6, H, 18' and It for carrying the supporting elements and inaddition has a he'e'l'fiange 50 integral with the plate and a strap loop5! also integrally projecting beyond the stud 3| and flange 50. At thefront end also integral with the shoe plate are the undercut flanges 52which serve as guides for the clamp members 53 immediately in front ofthe stud 33'. These clamp members are preferably formed of a light metalalloy and are adjusted in the usual manner by means of a transversescrew 54 having a groove 56 seated in a bearing 55. This bearing maybeformed in a U-shaped piece of hard metal (Fig. 12) set into a part 51 ofthe beam It. This bearing 55 being hard takes up the wear of the screwand may be replaced if necessary.

It will be understood of course that the skates can be made withdifferent sizes of plates but that the carriers and supporting elementsmaybe interchangeable in both types of skates.

I claim:

l. A foot plate of light metal having 'a longitudinal beam integraltherewith and including two pairs of depending bosses, one boss of eachpair being located near one end of the beam and the other boss of eachpair being located nearer the center of the beam, said bosses havinginteriorly screw-threaded sockets, the beam being of V-section andarched between the center bosses, the axes of the sockets of each pairbeing inclined at acute angles to the plate and intersecting beneath theplate, a carrier member for each end of the foot plate, each carriermember having a transverse hub and shaft for supporting rollers, anupwardly extending sleeve and a laterally extending arm, each sleevehaving a screw-threaded part, a bearing member having a screw-threadedpost adjustably connected to the screw-threaded part of said sleeve, abearing member having a screw-threaded shank seated in the adjacentscrew-threaded boss near each end of the plate and coacting with thebearing member of the screw-threaded post, a bolt extending through "thelaterally extending arm of each carrier and adjustably seated in theinner boss of each pair of bosses and a resilient member mounted on eachbolt between the arm of the carrier member and the foot plate.

2. A foot plate having a longitudinal reinforcing beam integraltherewith and including two pairs of depending bosses, one boss of eachpair being located near one end of the beam and the other boss of eachpair being located nearer the center of the beam, said bosses havingsockets, the axes of the sockets of each pair being inclined at acuteangles to the plate and intersecting beneath the plate, a wheel carriermember for each end of the plate, each carrier memher having atransverse hub and shaft for supporting rollers, an upwardly extendingsleeve and a laterally extending arm, each sleeve being interiorlyscrew-threaded, a bearing member having a screw-threaded post adjustablyconnected in the screw-threaded part of said sleeve, 2. bearing memberhaving a shank seated in a boss near, each end of the plate and coactingwith the bearing member of the adjacent 'screwthreaded post, a boltextending through the laterally extending arm of each carrier andadjustably seated in the inner boss of each pair of bosses and aresilient member mounted on each b'olt between an arm of the carriermember and the foot plate.

3. A roller skate foot plate having a longitudinal reinforcing memberintegral therewith and extending along the underside thereof, said plateincluding a pair of oppositely inclined bosses with sockets near eachend, a ball-ended stud secured in one of the bosses of each pair ofbosses, a carrier member for each pair of the bosses, each carriermember having a horizontal Wheel bearing, an interiorly screw-threadedupwardly inclined sleeve and a perforated arm, a screw-threaded boltextending upwardly through each arm and adjustably secured in one of thebosses, the axis of each bolt being inclined at an acute angle to theplate, a resilient buffer on each bolt between its arm and boss, ascrewthreaded extension adjustable in each sleeve and having a concavesocket at its upper end serving as a support for the adjacent ball-endedstud.

4. A roller skate foot plate having a longitudinal reinforcing memberintegral therewith and extending along the underside thereof, saidmember including a pair of oppositely inclined interiorly screw-threadedbosses near each end, a ball-ended stud screwed into one of the bossesof each pair of bosses, a carrier member for each pair of the bosses,each carrier member having a horizontal wheel bearing, an upwardlyinclined interiorly screw-threaded sleeve and a downwardly inclinedperforated arm, a screw-threaded bolt extending through each arm andadjustably screwed into one of the bosses, a resilient member on eachbolt between its arm and a boss, a screwthreaded extension adjustable ineach sleeve and having a concave socket at its upper end serving as asupport for the adjacent ball-ended stud.

5. A roller skate as set forth in claim 4 in which each bolt has a headbeneath the arm through which it passes, a washer interposed between thehead of each bolt and said arm and means for preventing rotation of saidwasher with respect to the arm.

6. In a roller skate, a shoe plate having a depending, integrallongitudinal beam with bosses at each end integral therewith, a wheelcarrier supported at each end of the plate by an adjustable bolt seatedin one boss, with a resilient buffer interposed between the carrier andthe boss and a screw-threaded member adjustable in each carrier andhaving a head, with a bearing socket at its upper end, and a studmounted in another boss and having a hearing at its lower end seated insaid bearing socket, said socket being of a concave form and the outeredge of the head surrounding the bearing end of said stud so as toensure a free swinging and pivotal movement of the stud in said socket.

7. In a roller skate, a shoe plate having a depending, longitudinal beamintegral therewith and extending from end to end thereof, a wheelcarrier supported at each end of the plate by an adjustable bolt seatedin the beam, with a resilient bufier interposed between the carrier andthe beam and a screw-threaded member adjustable in each carrier andhaving a head with a bearing socket at its upper end and a stud securedin the beam and having a bearing at its lower end seated in said bearingsocket, said socket being of a concave form of larger radius than thebearing end.

8. In a roller skate, a shoe plate of light metal having a pair ofdepending bosses near each end and an integral longitudinalreenforcement connecting the bosses which are near the center, a wheelcarrier having a transverse axis supported at each end of the plate byan adjustable bolt seated in one boss with a resilient bufier interposedbetween the carrier and its boss, a screwthreaded socket memberadjustable in each carrier and having a head with a bearing socket atits upper end and a discrete stud mounted in the plate and having abearing at its lower end seated in said bearing socket, said socketbeing of a concave form of larger radius than the bearing end of saidstud and the outer edge of the head surrounding the bearing end of saidstud so as to ensure a free swinging and pivotal movement of the stud insaid socket, said screwthreaded members and said bolts being inclinedfrom opposite sides of the axes of the carriers at similar acute angles.

EDWARD M. JACK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,044,187 King Nov. 12, 19122,100,584 Wylie Nov. 30, 1937 2,201,990 Dekome, et a1 May 28, 19402,300,477 Whitcomb, Jr., et al. Nov. 3, 1942

